Paris Saint-Germain are close to having their full squad back ahead of the UEFA Super Cup against Aston Villa. Two days before the match, several key players returned to training on Monday at the Poissy Campus, potentially changing the lineup that had been expected after the friendly against Manchester United.
PSG should have almost everyone available against Aston Villa, although several internationals may still be short of match fitness. Ousmane Dembélé, Bradley Barcola, Désiré Doué, Warren Zaïre-Emery and Lucas Hernandez have rejoined the group. Achraf Hakimi and Fabian Ruiz are also back, while Marquinhos, Nuno Mendes, Vitinha and João Neves already featured against Manchester United.
Several Regular Starters Could Return
Luis Enrique therefore has far more options at his disposal. Against Manchester United, PSG started with a heavily rotated side: Safonov – Boly, Zabarnyi, Pacho, Koukaba – Beraldo, Dro, Mayulu – Mbaye, Ayari, Kvaratskhelia. The second-half introductions of Marquinhos, Nuno Mendes, Vitinha and João Neves immediately gave Paris more control, and all four now appear well placed to start on Wednesday if their physical condition allows it. Hakimi could also return at right-back, while Matvey Safonov remains a serious option in goal after playing regularly during pre-season. Illia Zabarnyi and Willian Pacho have also built up plenty of minutes in recent weeks.
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The biggest uncertainty concerns the attack. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia currently looks like the forward with the most match rhythm, while Ibrahim Mbaye has also featured regularly and scored against Manchester United. However, the returns of Dembélé, Barcola and Doué could completely change Luis Enrique’s plans. With only two days of collective training behind them, their chances of starting will likely depend on the final sessions. The coach must decide between players who are already physically ready and his usual starters, who have had very little time to regain sharpness before the first final of the season.
Based on the information available two days before the game, PSG’s probable lineup could be: Safonov – Zabarnyi, Marquinhos, Pacho, Nuno Mendes – João Neves, Vitinha, Mayulu – Mbaye, Kvaratskhelia, Barcola or Ndjantou. The lineup remains highly provisional, with Fabian Ruiz, Zaïre-Emery, Doué and Dembélé all capable of changing Luis Enrique’s plans depending on their fitness. PSG now have one final training session before travelling to Austria, with the coming hours expected to determine which of the internationals who returned on Monday are ready to start against Aston Villa.
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